


illustrated by its contraries

by SoloChaos



Category: Bandom, Fall Out Boy, Paramore, Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Forced Prostitution, Historical Inaccuracy, M/M, Non-Consensual Touching
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-25
Updated: 2014-07-25
Packaged: 2018-02-10 08:17:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2017701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoloChaos/pseuds/SoloChaos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This work continues graphic depictions of attempted sexual assault. Please proceed only if you are positive you will not be triggered. </p><p> </p><p>This is, rather obviously, not quite historical fiction, so the time around which this takes place doesn't particularly matter. However, if you'd like to know when I imagined this taking place in the early 1700s, nearing the end of the golden age of piracy.</p>
    </blockquote>





	illustrated by its contraries

**Author's Note:**

> This work continues graphic depictions of attempted sexual assault. Please proceed only if you are positive you will not be triggered. 
> 
>  
> 
> This is, rather obviously, not quite historical fiction, so the time around which this takes place doesn't particularly matter. However, if you'd like to know when I imagined this taking place in the early 1700s, nearing the end of the golden age of piracy.

Tyler's foot was broken about two hours ago.

In all honesty, he was expecting it to happen sooner or later. The slavers were getting sick of having to catch him every time he tried to run away.

"You'd best be gettin' some sleep," one of the slavers tells Tyler as he checks the chains. "You got a busy day tomorrow."

"Why, what's tomorrow?" Tyler asks, not expecting an answer. None of his questions have ever been before.

To his surprise, the slaver answers. "You're bein' auctioned off tomorrow. To pirates." He gives Tyler a meaningful look. "You might wanna sleep while you can still wake up."

"Pirates?" Tyler says weakly.

The slaver nods shortly. "This is a sex trade, innit? And who's the most willin' to buy sex?"

"I..." Tyler says, trailing off.

The slaver gives him a look of- is that pity? "Get some sleep," he says again before leaving Tyler in the cold and dark.

Tyler curls up on himself, forgetting the pain in his ankle. _Pirates._

He pictures the auction tomorrow, hot with the smell of booze and smoke. Men with grubby hands and greedy eyes stripping him of his privacy. Calling out numbers, bidding on him, putting a price on his life. How much is he worth? €50? €30? Even less?

He imagines the pirate he's sold to. Dirty and rough and smelling of rum and cigar smoke. Forcing him onto a bed, taking him ruthlessly, repeatedly, until his vision goes dark and he doesn't wake up again.

Tyler feels something wet run down his face, and he's startled to realize he's crying. He pulls his arms even tighter around his legs, burying his head in his knees as he gags and chokes on a sob. What did he do to deserve this? What did he do? He's going to die underneath a _pirate_ covered blood and semen and sweat.

"Oh God, oh God," Tyler murmurs aloud, voice cracking on a sob. This wasn't supposed to happen to him. Not to people like him.

He wonders where his body will go. Off the side of the ship, probably. Not for a while, though. The pirates wouldn't be done with his body even after death.

 _"God,"_ Tyler gasps. "Oh, God."

He cries himself to sleep.

 

 

It's early in the morning when Tyler's woken up, scrubbed clean, shackled, and shoved into a cart. He feels hollow, and he just doesn't care anymore.

There are other slaves already there when he's dragged into a room behind a stage-like platform and chained to the wall. Most of them are girls around his age, maybe younger, but a good amount of them are men, too. Some of them are crying, but most of them look the way Tyler feels.

Empty.

Tyler can hear people milling around outside. He can smell alcohol and smoke. He can hear slightly drunken roars as the auctioneer introduces the slaves.

It doesn't seem like a very long time before Tyler's left alone in the room, but when the door opens and a man walks in to unshackle him, Tyler catches a glimpse of the dark sky.

"And I saved the best for last, of course!" the auctioneer announces.

Tyler's pulled onto the stage, cuffs clanging as he's dragged to the center.

"Our last one today," the auctioneer says proudly. "No marks, no scars, and..." he leans in and stage-whispers, "a virgin."

The crowd goes up in roars.

"I swear it!" the auctioneer shouts over the commotion in the crowd. "Brand new, I'm telling you."

"Show us!" someone in the crowd yells. "We want to see him!"

"If you insist," the auctioneer says. He gestures to the guards, and the cloth around Tyler's waist, his last bit of decency, is removed.

Tyler can't bring himself to care.

He tunes everything out as he's spun around, limbs raised and inspected. He ignores the pain in his ankle as he's dragged about. It doesn't matter. Vaguely, he notices that people are starting to call out numbers.

"Five!"

"No, ten!"

"Twenty!"

Tyler doesn't pay attention. He doesn't want to know how much he costs.

Eventually, a man comes onto the stage, taking hold of Tyler's chains.

The guards step back.

"Good?" the auctioneer asks the man.

"Even prettier up close," the man says, nodding. He turns to the auctioneer. "He's is a present for someone."

"He'll make a fine one," the auctioneer says approvingly.

Tyler watches numbly as the man and the auctioneer exchange a few more pleasantries. He notices that the crowd behind them is dissipating, shouting raucously as they leave. Some of them are pushing each other playfully; others pushing not-so-playfully.

There's a tug on Tyler's chain, and he looks up to see his buyer pulling him in the direction of the door.

"Walk," his buyer orders, and Tyler limps alongside him.

His buyer doesn't speak to him as they walk towards the carriages. Tyler's pushed up into one of the carriages. A man, most likely the buyer's valet, helps the buyer into the carriage after Tyler.

Once the buyer is situated, the valet hops up and chains Tyler to the wall of the carriage. Their eyes meet, and the valet pauses briefly, looking sympathetic. Tyler just blinks impassively back.

The valet hops off, and after a few moments, the carriage starts to move.

"Your owner's name is Captain Dun," his buyer says after a moment of silence. "Captain of the Ashes."

Tyler blinks in surprise. _Dun?_ Of _Ashes?_

"We'll be there in a few hours." The buyer gives Tyler a meaningful look. "Try to get some sleep."

 

 

It's approaching daylight when Tyler's shaken awake. He can smell seawater, and hear the sound of wood slapping against the water.

"Get out," the buyer tells him once the valet has unshackled him.

Tyler grips the side of the carriage as he hesitantly steps out, unwounded foot first. The buyer taps his foot impatiently.

Once Tyler's down, he's dragged down the dock, pain shooting up his leg with every step.

Tyler's stopped at one of the biggest ships on the dock. There's a carving of a girl on the bowsprit, and under her is the word _Ashes._

Tyler swallows hard.

There's a group of men standing in front of the boat, and Tyler's buyer drags him over.

"For you, Captain!" Tyler's buyer says cheerfully, handing a man with dark eyes and pale skin Tyler's chains.

The captain, (Captain Dun, presumably,) stares at Tyler with wide eyes before looking back up at Tyler's buyer. "What's for me?"

 _"He_ is," the buyer says, sounding confused. The captain opens his mouth, still looking bewildered, and Tyler's buyer clarifies, "He's a wench. Bought him last night."

Captain Dun recoils, looking horrified. "You... you _bought_ him?"

"S'what I said," the buyer says, looking at the captain suspiciously. "Hey, if you don't want him, I'll take him. I wouldn't mind having him for myself. He was €65."

"No, no," Captain Dun says quickly. "I'll take him." He grips Tyler's chains a little tighter. "I'll take him," he repeats.

"All right," Tyler's buyer says. "Enjoy." Before he walks off, he leans in and whispers in Tyler's ear, "Be good." He walks off and doesn't look back.

Captain Dun watches him leave before handing Tyler's chains to one of the men with him. "Take him into one of the rooms," he tells the man. "I don't want to see him."

The man nods and moves to take Tyler aboard.

"Oh," Captain Dun says, stopping the man, "and keep this quiet, all right?"

The man nods. "Of course, sir."

Tyler's helped aboard the ship, wobbling a little as he follows the man belowdecks. The man seems to notice that Tyler's foot is paining him, but makes no move to help him down the ladder.

"All right," the man says, ushering Tyler into a cell-like room. "Bye," he says, stepping out and locking the door behind him.

Tyler blinks in surprise at the closed door.

 _I guess he's saving me for later,_ Tyler thinks to himself as he sits down on the damp wooden floor. It smells absolutely disgusting, like various excrements along with the smell of mildew. Tyler doesn't care, though. His foot's throbbing too much to care about anything.

He stretches out the best he can in the claustrophobic cell, glad that there's no light to see what the inside of the cell looks like, and waits.

 

 

Captain Dun doesn't come.

In fact, no one comes. Tyler loses track of the time, but he's guessing it's been about six hours when he feels the ship shift and leave the dock. He wonders how long it'll be before Captain Dun comes and...

He pushes that thought out of his mind and instead focuses on the pain in his ankle. Honestly, he's fairly certain that his broken ankle is the most pleasant thing he can find right now.

He curls up into a ball in the corner of the cell and waits.

And waits.

And waits.

He waits for what must be days, during which he drifts in and out of sleep. He knows that he should be hungry, that he should be thirsty, but he doesn't feel anything at all.

He finally drifts off into a longer, fitful sleep, and wakes up to see a pirate standing over him. He jerks back in surprise, head hitting against the back of his cell.

"We really do have one here," the pirate murmurs.

"What are you doing?" Tyler asks, picking himself off of the ground.

"Oh, I was feeling lonely," the pirate drawls, "horny."

Tyler presses himself as far away from the pirate as possible. "Get out!"

"C'mere, sweetheart," the pirate leers, looking Tyler up and down. "You as new as I heard you were sold?"

"Don't touch me," Tyler says firmly as the pirate moves closer.

"You look new," the pirate notes, still moving towards Tyler. "No scars or nothing."

"Don't come any closer," Tyler says in the sternest tone he can muster.

"Or what?" the pirate asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Or... or I'll... I'll hit you," Tyler says lamely.

The pirate laughs. "You mean like this?" he asks. And before Tyler can react, the pirate has smacked him across the face.

Tyler's too shocked to even move.

"C'mon, honey," the pirate says, pushing Tyler against the wall. "Let's have some fun."

"No, no," Tyler says, clearing his head. "Don't- don't touch me!"

"Don't fight," the pirate says warningly, grabbing one of Tyler's wrists and squeezing.

"Let go of me!" Tyler insists, trying to move away from the pirate. "Stop it!"

"Shut up!" the pirate hisses, the hand around Tyler's wrist clenching even harder.

"Stop!" Tyler begs. "Please, st-" His head is slammed against the wall of his cell, and he falls silent.

The pirate releases his wrist, hands moving down to Tyler's hips. Tyler swallows a sob as he feels the pirate bite his neck.

"You're gonna feel so good," he murmurs, smirk pressed against Tyler's skin.

Tyler shivers, choking on a sob. "Please, just stop," he begs.

"You don't mean it," the pirate tells him in an almost amused tone. "Wenches like you wanna be touched."

"I don't," Tyler insists. "I don't want this."

"In fact, I reckon wenches like you _have_ to be touched," the pirate says. "You just don't know that because you're too new." His hands trace Tyler's body, heavy hands bruising. "You want this. I know you do-"

The pirate's touch suddenly vanishes from Tyler's body, and Tyler collapses without the pirate's hands holding him up.

There's the sickening crunch of bone being broken, followed by a loud yelp.

"What the devil was that for?" Tyler hears the pirate exclaim.

"What the hell are you doing?" someone demands.

"What did it look like?" the pirate grumbles, words coming out muffled.

"It looked like you were disobeying direct orders," the someone growls.

"Come now, I was just-"

"I don't want to hear it," the someone cuts the pirate off.

Tyler manages to twist himself around and he sees... he sees the captain he'd been given to staring angrily at Tyler's attacker.

"Listen to me-"

"I ordered that he's not to be touched!" the captain yells.

"Wenches like him are made to be touched," the other pirate argues, clutching his nose.

"He was not _made_ to be anything," Captain Dun snarls. "He is a human being!"

"He's a dog!" the pirate sneers back. "He's nothing!"

"He's someone! And he's _not_ yours either!" Captain Dun bellows back. "He belongs to no one, except maybe himself."

"He was bought and he was sold and he's nothing but livestock," the other pirate returns. "And you weren't using him. Is it so wrong that I just wanted to have him once?"

Captain Dun is practically spitting with rage. "Get the hell off my ship."

"We're in the middle of the ocean!" the pirate protests.

"Then lock yourself in the brig and wait until we get to another port, I don't care," the captain growls. "I don't want to see your face again."

The other pirate scurries off, hand still clasped over his bleeding nose.

Captain Dun turns to Tyler. "Hey, are you all right?" he asks Tyler, kneeling in front of him.

"I... I..." Tyler stutters. He feels numb, like nothing's working quite right.

"Did he hurt you?" Captain Dun asks anxiously. "Has this happened before?"

The captain's dark eyes peer into Tyler's, and he finds himself unable to even move, much less speak.

"Can you hear me?" Captain Dun asks.

Tyler manages a nod.

"Okay, that's good," Captain Dun says with surprising gentleness. "Can you tell me your name?"

"T-Tyler," he stutters out.

"Nice to meet you, Tyler," Captain Dun says, holding out a hand. "I'm Captain Joshua Dun, but you can call me Josh."

"Hello," Tyler mumbles, hesitantly shaking Capt- Josh's hand.

"You're shaking. Are you cold?" Josh asks. Tyler shakes his head, but Josh still pulls his coat off anyways and wraps it around Tyler.

"Th-thank you," Tyler murmurs.

"Are you hurt?" Josh asks, leaning in and wrapping the coat a little tighter around Tyler.

"Um..." Tyler says, pausing to think. "Maybe?"

"Can you walk?" Josh says, standing up and holding out his hand.

Tyler cautiously takes it and stands. Pain shoots up his right leg, and he quickly sits back down.

"I... I'm fine," Tyler says quickly, trying to stand back up again.

"No, no, sit down," Josh says. Tyler sinks back down. "Let me see your leg."

Hesitantly, Tyler stretches his right leg out for Josh to examine. His ankle is quite obviously broken, and Tyler quickly looks away.

"Did he do that to you?" Josh demands.

"No, no," Tyler assures him. "That was uh... someone else."

At Josh's confused expression he explains, "I kept trying to run away. Before the auction."

"So your ankle was broken?" Josh asks, sounding horrified.

Tyler shrugs. "It worked," he says.

Josh closes his eyes briefly and sighs. "Okay, hold on," he says. And before Tyler can react, Josh has scooped him up, carrying him bridal style.

"Oh!" Tyler yelps in surprise.

"Sorry," Josh apologizes. "I didn't know how else I'd move you."

"Where... where am I going?" Tyler asks, fighting down a wave of nausea as Josh carries him.

"My quarters," Josh says casually.

Tyler freezes. "Let me go," he says, his voice a whisper for some reason. He twists around, trying to get Josh to drop him.

"What?" Josh asks, not breaking his stride towards his room.

"Let me go," Tyler repeats, voice a little stronger.

"Why?" Josh asks, sounding bewildered.

"Was that all a ruse back there?" Tyler demands, still trying to escape Josh's hold.

"That whole 'he is a human being' speech?"

"What? No, I-"

"Were you lulling me into a false sense of security?"

"Tyler, what are you talk-"

"What kind of twisted game is that, where you save someone from rape only to take the one you saved yourself?" Tyler asks, trying to loosen Josh's grip on his body.

"What are you _talking_ about?" Josh says, sounding astonished.

"You're taking me to your bedroom!" Tyler shouts.

Josh freezes. "Oh my God, no," Josh says quickly. "No, not like that."

"Then what the hell do you mean?" Tyler says, wincing a little as the cuss escapes his lips.

"There isn't a spare bed on this ship," Josh explains. "I was going to let you sleep on mine."

"And what kind of 'sleep' were you assuming would happen?" Tyler asks suspiciously.

"The innocent kind, I swear," Josh says, looking rather hurt. "Tyler, I'd _never_ do that to anyone, I promise."

Tyler takes a deep breath. "You promise?"

"I swear on my life," Josh insists. "On my ship, on my mother's life, on my sister's soul; I will never hurt anyone like that."

"Okay," Tyler says quietly. He lets Josh move him to the Captain's Quarters.

Josh's room is much larger than Tyler expected. There's a relatively large bed built into the corner, and Josh carefully places Tyler on it.

"Thank you," Tyler murmurs as Josh pulls a blanket over his body.

"Is there anything you need?" Josh asks. "Food? Water?"

"Um..." Tyler ponders this. He hadn't been fed in several days, but he had ceased to feel anything, including hunger, the moment he finished grieving himself. Now, though, with hope lurking about, Tyler can feel the faint stirrings of hunger inside. "Food would be nice, thank you."

"Okay." Josh turns to leave, but pauses in the doorway. "Wait a moment," he says, spinning around. "Somebody must've been giving you food while you were here, right?" he asks, looking anxious. "You were fed?"

"Uh." Tyler bites his lip, allowing Josh to deduce what he will.

"Goddammit," Josh groans, running a hand through his hair. "Tyler, I'm so sorry."

"It's all right," Tyler says as a knee-jerk reaction.

"No, it's not," Josh says, looking furious with himself. "I'll be right back."

Before Tyler can say anything, Josh is gone.

 

 

Tyler can see light through his eyelids as he slowly wakes up. He cracks open his eyelids, light seeping into his eyes.

"Good morning," he hears someone say.

"It's morning?" Tyler asks as he rubs his eyes.

"Well, I _could_ say good midday, but I don't think that has the same ring to it."

"No, I suppose not," Tyler agrees as he looks to find the source of the voice.

The voice is found perched on the desk that's nailed to the wall.

"Hello," Josh says, smiling at Tyler pleasantly.

Tyler finds himself hesitantly returning the smile. It probably looks a little awkward. Tyler doesn't remember the last time he smiled.

"Good midday," Tyler replies.

Josh chuckles a little, hopping off his desk.

"I brought you some food," he says, gesturing to the little table beside the bed. There's a plate filled with bread and a little bit of meat, along with a canteen of water. "Help yourself."

Tentatively, Tyler reaches out and grabs a piece of bread.

"I suppose you noticed your ankle is splinted?" Josh says.

"Uh." Tyler looks down at his feet to see that his ankle is in fact splinted. "Oh. Thank you."

Josh nods, and just watches him as he eats.

"Why don't you have any clothes?" Josh finally asks.

Tyler pauses, setting the canteen back onto the table beside the bed.

"You were supposed to take me the night I was given to you," Tyler says quietly. "I had no need for clothes."

"But afterwards," Josh says. "What then?"

Tyler stares at him. Could he really be that ignorant?

"It was assumed that I wouldn't survive," Tyler explains.

"Wouldn't survive?" Josh asks, sounding horrified. "You mean to say it was assumed I would kill you the night I received you?"

"Well, yes," Tyler says slowly. How could this man know so little? "It was thought that you would rape me until I died. And after that, possibly."

Josh looks rather ill all of a sudden. "I..." He trails off and clears his throat before starting again. "I'd... I'd _never."_

"I'm realizing that," Tyler says, leaning over and hesitantly patting Josh's hand.

 

 

Tyler’s pulling off a pair of trousers a few days later when Josh walks in without knocking.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Josh apologizes, turning to leave when something seems to catch his eye. “Oh, God.”

“What?” Tyler asks, shrinking back when he realizes Josh is staring at his hips.

“Sorry, I just...” Josh shakes his head and punches the wall.

Tyler jumps.

“Sorry, sorry,” Josh says quickly. He runs a hand over his face as Tyler quickly laces his trousers. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m just so _mad_ that something like that happened on my ship.”

“It’s all right,” Tyler murmurs.

Josh stares at him. “No,” he says slowly. “No, it’s not all right.” He takes a step forward slowly. “You- you have finger-shaped bruises on your hips. That’s not all right.”

Tyler shrugs. “They weren’t all from that one pirate.”

Josh... Josh honestly looks like he’s about to cry. “I’m so sorry,” he whispers.

“Not your fault,” Tyler says.

Josh shrugs. “I’m still sorry."

 

 

Tyler doesn't leave Josh's bed for the next few days.

He's not sure where Josh is sleeping. In fact, he wouldn't be surprised if Josh isn't sleeping at all, judging by the bags under his eyes.

He wakes up one time in the middle of the night to find Josh fast asleep on the cramped wooden floor.

He blinks in confusion, decides it's a dream, and falls back asleep.

He wakes up the next night to find Josh, once again, sleeping on the floor.

The next morning, Tyler says, "You can sleep on your bed too, you know."

Josh blinks. "Where will you sleep?"

Tyler shrugs. "I don't know. I'll find somewhere."

Josh frowns. "I didn't think you'd want to sleep anywhere else."

"It's fine," Tyler lies, trying to disguise the discomfort he feels at the idea of leaving the safety of Josh's room.

Josh eyes him suspiciously. "I'll be all right," he says decidedly.

Tyler sighs. "At least sleep on your own bed, all right?"

Josh shrugs.

That night, Tyler wakes up to see Josh curled up next to him on the bed. He shrugs to himself and falls back asleep.

Josh is gone when Tyler wakes up again.

He doesn't mention it, and neither does Tyler.

 

 

"We can't let that pirate who attacked you off at the next port," Josh says as he sits down next to Tyler. "I'm sorry."

"Why?" Tyler asks.

"We're, ah..." Josh looks a little shifty. "We're... raiding. We can't spare any time."

"Oh," Tyler says, taken aback. He'd forgotten that it's a pirate ship he's on.

"I'm sorry," Josh says again. "But he's not going to touch you. I promise."

"Okay," Tyler says, not knowing what else to say.

"Tyler, did- did that ever happened before? What he did?" Josh asks, looking genuinely concerned. "Aboard my ship, I mean."

"N-no, no," Tyler says, biting his lip. "Or um. Anywhere."

Josh sits back, looking mildly shocked. "So you really _are_ a virgin, then?"

"Um. Yes," Tyler says, looking down.

"But you're so..." Josh trails off, running a hand through his hair.

"I'm so what?" Tyler asks.

"So _pretty,"_ Josh says, blushing a little.

Tyler shrugs. "How does my 'prettiness' factor in?"

"Well," Josh begins, biting his lip, "the pretty ones don't normally stay virgins for very long."

Tyler shrugs again. "I was pretty sheltered growing up."

"Then how did you end up-" Josh cuts himself off when he sees Tyler look away. "Sorry."

"It's all right. I just..." Tyler stops. "I just don't really want to talk about it."

Josh nods, still looking apologetic.

Tyler bites his lip before leaning in and patting Josh's back companionably. "Maybe later," he says.

 

 

"Here," Josh says one day as he walks into his room and hands Tyler a cane.

"What's this?" Tyler says, sitting up on the bed and taking the cane.

"A cane," Josh says.

Tyler rolls his eyes. "I know that," he says. "I meant 'What's this?' as 'Why are you giving this to me?'"

"Ah," Josh says. "For your leg." He points to Tyler's splinted ankle. "When you need to walk."

"...thank you," Tyler says, feeling mildly surprised. He sets the cane next to his bed. "When will I need to walk, though?"

Josh looks slightly confused. "For when you get off the boat."

"I'm leaving?"

Josh looks even more confused. "Yes," he says in a tone that suggests it should be obvious. "Did you think I'd be keeping you here for the rest of your life?"

"Well... yes," Tyler says.

Josh jerks back. "No, no, no," he says quickly. "No, you- you're free now, Tyler."

"What?" Tyler demands. "Since when?"

"Well, I- I mean," Josh says, scratching the back of his neck. "You just had to tell me if you wanted to leave, Tyler."

"But... but... _what?"_

"Just say the word," Josh says.

"Yes, I want to leave!" Tyler says. "Why wouldn't I want to leave?"

"Well, I mean, I..." Josh stops, biting his lip. "Well, I wasn't sure if you wanted to, y'know, risk it."

"Risk what?"

Josh gives Tyler a bewildered look. "Risk your safety," he says. "It's not, well, safe. For people like you."

Tyler stares at him. What's he trying to insinuate? "What are you talking about?" Tyler asks.

"You're, y'know," Josh gestures vaguely, "not very. Ah."

"What?"

"Y'know," Josh shifts his weight, "tough. Manly. You're kind of, you know, effeminate."

Tyler frowns.

"Tyler, it's kind of obvious that you're, you know," Josh leans in and whispers, "one of those."

Tyler jerks back.

"Which is fine! It's fine!" Josh says, holding his hands up. "But, you know, it's not very safe out there."

Tyler scowls at him. "I think I'll chance it."

"Gosh, Tyler, I didn't mean to insult you," Josh apologizes.

"It's fine," Tyler dismisses.

"No, no, I mean..." Josh pauses, biting his lip. "I..."

"I'll be fine," Tyler says. "I can handle myself."

Josh looks at him a little dubiously.

"Sort of," Tyler amends.

Josh sighs. "You want off at the next port, then?"

Tyler nods.

"All right," Josh says as he moves to leave. "We dock in two days. You can get off then."

 

 

It's been nearly two weeks since Tyler had been given to Josh when Tyler wakes up to yelling and the boat shifting in a rather disorienting way.

Tyler sits up, rubbing his eyes before peering out the window to see that they're at another port.

Immediately, Tyler's standing up and limping to the door. He grabs the cane Josh got him before trying to open the door, but...

It's locked.

Tyler sits back against the bed in shock. "I thought..." he murmurs to himself.

Hesitantly, he leans over and tries the door again. It's still locked.

"Bastard," Tyler whispers. He stares at the door a little longer. "Bastard," he repeats.

Hadn't Josh said he'd let Tyler go? Hadn't Josh promised Tyler that he's free now? Didn't he say that?

"Bastard!" Tyler shrieks, knocking a plate off the table with his cane. "Damned _bastard!"_ He throws whatever he can find at the door, trying to break it open, but it's locked firmly and Tyler's still weak from malnutrition. He screams wordlessly in frustration and anger.

Finally exhausted and surrounded by whatever he could find and break, Tyler collapses on his bed, holding his cane tightly. He sits and waits.

The ship has long left the dock by the time Tyler hears someone fumbling with the lock. He stands up and grips his cane, raising it slightly.

"Tyler?" Josh says, furrowing his eyebrows as he steps in. "What are you still do-"

He's cut off when Tyler hits his head with the cane as hard as he can. Josh drops like a rag-doll.

Tyler scrambles over Josh's body and out the door, running as fast as he can, searching for the ladder. He hears a shout from someone behind him, and tries to go faster.

"Grab him!" someone shouts. "He attacked the captain!"

 _Damn,_ Tyler thinks to himself. He tries to run even faster, but the splint on his ankle makes his movements awkward and slow.

Someone comes around the corner and Tyler skids to a stop, turning around and dashing away. He can hear the pirate racing after him, and he risks a glance back to see him gaining on him.

Another pirate appears, and they nearly crash into each other. Tyler takes advantage of the pirate’s surprise and manages to push pass him.

Unfortunately, Tyler turns a corner and runs right into a pirate much, much larger than him.

“What’s the rush?” the pirate says, looking at Tyler with an expression of mild surprise, like _What is this strange creature that ran into me?_

“He knocked out the captain,” the first pirate says breathlessly as he runs up to them.

The large pirate’s grip on him tightens, and he looks down at Tyler sternly. “Why did you do that?” he asks Tyler.

“He betrayed me,” Tyler mumbles, trying to squirm out of the pirate’s hold fruitlessly.

“Let me ask you something,” the second pirate says, appearing behind the first pirate. “How many pirates do you know keep true to their word?”

 

 

Tyler’s thrown into a cell that’s much like the first one in, albeit a few differences. One difference is that it actually seems like a cell, with iron bars and chains. Another difference is that there are other prisoners there.

Other _mean_ -looking prisoners.

“Hi,” Tyler says timidly.

“Stowaway?” one of the prisoners asks.

“No,” Tyler mumbles.

The prisoner raises an eyebrow. “What, then?”

“...I knocked out the captain with a cane.”

The prisoner stares at him for a second before bursting out laughing. “That’s a good one, kid,” he says after he stops laughing. “Good one.”

Tyler frowns, but decides not to say anything else.

He looks around the cell. There are four other prisoners besides the prisoner who didn’t believe him. Most of them are asleep, and Tyler’s stomach lurches when he sees that the pirate who attacked him fast asleep in the corner.

He hopes he doesn’t wake up for a long time.

Or at all.

“What’s your name, kid?” the prisoner asks.

“Tyler,” Tyler mumbles.

“Hey, Tyler,” the prisoner says. “I’m Pete.”

“...hi,” Tyler says.

Tyler’s not really in the mood for talking, but Pete definitely is, so Tyler sits there and endures Pete’s chattering.

“Can you just shut up?” one of the other prisoners finally snaps.

Tyler silently thanks them for finally saying it, but he wishes he wasn’t so rude. Pete seems like a nice guy. Pete doesn’t seem to be too bothered, though. He’s probably used to it.

The pirate that attacked Tyler earlier begins to stir where he’s asleep in the corner.

“Hey, Smitty’s waking up,” one of the prisoners says.

Tyler turns away, trying to hide his face.

“Oh, we got a new one,” the pirate- Smitty- says. “What’s your name?”

Tyler doesn’t answer, afraid that Smitty'll recognize his voice.

“Hey, new kid,” another prisoner says, kicking Tyler in the ribs. “You fucking speak when you’re spoken to.”

“Hey, hey,” Pete says. “You don’t need to kick him.”

“Shut up,” the prisoner snaps. Tyler can feel him leaning down. “Smitty asked you a question. Fucking answer already.”

When Tyler still doesn’t answer, he’s slapped across the face.

“Hey!” Pete yelps.

“Shut up! God, you never-"

“Hey,” Smitty says, and Tyler’s heart sinks. “That’s... that’s the whore I was telling you about!”

“What?” the prisoners gasp, turning to look at Tyler.

Tyler presses himself against the wall of the cell. Pete’s giving him a sad, helpless look.

“...I get him first,” Smitty says.

“I call second,” another prisoner says.

“Third,” another adds.

“Fourth,” the last says.

They look at Pete expectantly, but he shakes his head.

“He’s gonna be too loose for you,” the one who called second says to the one who called fourth.

“I want his mouth, then,” the fourth says. The prisoners seem to weigh that in their minds.

“All right,” Smitty says.

“I want his mouth second then,” the third says.

“You’ll be able to get it up?” the second snickers.

“Aw, shut up, you little-"

“Fellas, fellas,” Pete interrupts. “Do you really have to do this?”

The prisoners look at Pete like he’s insane.

“We don’t _have_ too,” Smitty says, “but we’d be mad _not_ too.”

Pete frowns. “He’s just a kid,” he argues. “Look, he’s shaking.”

“What, are you saying that we _shouldn’t_ fuck him?” the second asks incredulously.

 _“Yes,”_ Pete says.

The prisoners snort disbelievingly.

“You’re mad,” the fourth says.

“He’s a _virgin,”_ Smitty says.

“Yes!” Pete shouts. “Don’t take that away from him!”

Tyler’s pretty sure that one of the prisoners are about to beat up, or possibly kill Pete, so he quietly says, “It’s okay.”

“It’s okay?” Pete says, looking at Tyler in surprise.

“Yes,” Tyler says a little bit louder.

Some of the prisoners snicker to themselves.

“I knew it,” Smitty says. “I knew he had to be touched.”

“Tyler, what are you doing?” Pete demands. “They’re going to _kill_ you."

Tyler ignores him.

“Look,” Pete says desperately. “I’ll take his place, all right?”

 _Can the idiot shut up?_ Tyler thinks to himself. He’s trying to save the guy.

The prisoners stop.

“You ain’t a wench,” the third says slowly.

“I know,” Pete says.

“Then why the hell is you offering yourself up like one?” he demands.

“He’s just a kid!” Pete says.

“You one of those?” the fourth demands.

Pete frowns at him challengingly. “And what if I am?”

“Then you’d better get the fuck away from me,” the third hisses. “I don’t want to catch any of your fairy dust.”

“Pretty rich coming from a man who’s going to fuck another man,” Pete says.

“He ain’t a man!” the third howls. “He’s a wench!”

“What’s the fucking difference?!” Pete shouts.

"A wench don't count as a man!" the second yells. "They're just used for getting off!"

Pete glares at him. "You're disgusting."

 _"You're_ disgusting," the fourth returns. "You don't care about that whore. You just want us to get you off."

Smitty moves towards Tyler with large, dirty hands.

"Don't touch him!" Pete shouts. He makes a movement to stop Smitty, but is pushed back by the other prisoners.

"Get away," Tyler says, voice suddenly hoarse.

"Ain't likely," Smitty tells him.

Tyler presses himself against the wall, trying to push himself even farther back.

Smitty's hands grab his legs, forcing them apart despite Tyler's attempts to keep them shut.

"Someone gave you clothes, huh," he mutters. "How inconsiderate." He rips the thin fabric of Tyler's trousers with one fluid movement.

"Don't touch him!" Pete shrieks. "Don't fucking tou-" He's cut off, and Tyler doesn't dare risk a glance up, but he assumes one of the prisoners covered his mouth.

Smitty keeps one hand on him and pulls off his own trousers with the other. Tyler does his best not to look, but _oh god oh god that's going to be inside him._

"Like what you see?" Smitty leers.

The other prisoners laugh, excluding Pete, who manages to shriek, "Stop! Stop it-" before he's cut off.

Smitty shoves two fingers into Tyler's mouth. Tyler gags, feeling tears starting to well in his eyes.

Just when Tyler feels he's going to vomit, Smitty pulls his fingers out. Tyler breathes a sigh of relief, but he suddenly feels the spit-slick fingers brushing over his-

Tyler cries out when Smitty shoves two fingers into him. His fingernails dig uselessly into the wooden floor, trying to get some traction and failing.

"Fucking bastards," he hears Pete growl. "Fuck- fucking _bast-"_

Smitty moves his fingers quickly, every movement shooting pain up Tyler's body. He feels another finger being added, and lets out a small sob.

"Don't take too long with opening him up!" one of the prisoners yells. "We want him tight."

Smitty laughs, twisting his fingers a bit. Tyler yelps in pain.

"You ain't seen nothing yet, honey," Smitty mutters.

As much as it hurts to have those fingers inside him, he hopes they don't leave, because it's only going to be followed by something worse. And to his horror, the fingers leave him all too soon.

"Ready to get that virgin shine washed off?" Smitty taunts as he pushes Tyler's legs back even farther.

Tyler swallows hard, closing his eyes. He feels something press against him, about to push in, when there's suddenly a loud _crack_ and Smitty falls against Tyler.

Tyler opens his eyes to see nothing but blood, and he starts to scream.

 

 

The next thing Tyler knows, he's waking up.

"Good morning," someone says, and Tyler's briefly overwhelmed by the sense of déjà vu.

"Who's there?" he asks, not even opening his eyes.

"Josh."

Tyler sits up and tries to rush away, but only succeeds in falling off the bed.

"Hey, hey, don't hurt yourself," Josh says, moving toward Tyler.

"Don't touch me," Tyler gets out through gritted teeth. Josh steps back, holding up his hands.

Tyler takes a few moments to collect himself, to just breathe. It dawns on him that he might've just dreamed the whole thing, and he looks up at Josh.

Josh's shirt is covered in blood, and he's looking at Tyler with an impossibly sad expression.

Tyler gags on a sob. Not a dream, then.

"How are you feeling?" Josh asks softly.

Tyler means to say something like _Stop looking at me like that, I'm fine,_ or maybe _Why the hell did you lock me in here, you bastard,_ but instead lets out a loud sob. He buries his head in his hands and sobs into his fingers.

He feels Josh move closer again, and this time he doesn't protest when Josh carefully wraps his arms around Tyler's shoulders. Tyler turns towards Josh and buries his head in Josh's chest. He doesn't quite remember what happened, doesn't quite know why he feels so hollow, so drained, so _violated,_ but he knows he does and that's enough to make him cling to Joshua Dun, captain of a _pirate_ ship, and sob like a baby.

Josh makes soothing noises, surprisingly soothing, and rubs Tyler's back. He cards calloused but gentle fingers through Tyler's hair. Tyler fists the non-bloodstained parts of Josh's shirt and cries into his shoulder.

Tyler finally stops crying so hard, and Josh leans back to grab the canteen of water by the bed. He unscrews the cap before handing it to Tyler.

"Thank you," Tyler says hoarsely before taking a sip. Josh nods, just watching him carefully as he drinks.

Tyler takes a few sips before handing the canteen back to Josh, who screws it shut and sets it back on the nightstand.

"Do you want anything?" Josh asks softly. Tyler starts to shake his head, but stops.

"Could you, um, help me back onto the bed?" he asks softly.

"Of course," Josh says, wrapping his arm around Tyler and helping him stand.

Tyler crawls onto the bed and pulls the blankets over his body. Josh hesitantly sits on the edge of the bed.

"Why did you lock me in here?" Tyler asks softly.

Josh winces. "I didn't," he says.

Tyler frowns. "What are you talking about?"

Josh sighs. "I asked one of the crew to make sure no one could take anything from my room while we were, y'know, raiding. There was some commotion on deck, and he was called up, so he locked the door and ran up."

Tyler stares at him. The only thing he can think to say is, "Why does your room lock from the outside?"

Josh blinks. "It lock from both sides. With a key."

Tyler nods. "I'm- I'm sorry I hit you," he murmurs.

Josh touches the side of his face, and Tyler catches sight of a bruise. "It's okay," he says. "I understand. Besides," he says with a wink, "it makes me look tough."

Tyler chuckles halfheartedly.

"How are you feeling?" Josh asks.

"I fe- Pete!" Tyler says, sitting up. "Where is he? Is he all right? They're going to hurt him, you can't leave him-"

"Relax, relax," Josh says, rubbing Tyler's back. "We got him out of there too. He hit it off with the boatswain, actually."

Tyler relaxes back into the bed. "When are we docking next?"

"You still want off?" Josh asks, looking surprised.

Tyler nods.

Josh sighs. "Tyler, we're..." He bites his lip. "We're not docking for six months."

Tyler's stomach drops. _"...what?"_ he demands.

"I'm sorry," Josh says, looking genuinely apologetic. "That last stop was to resupply."

Tyler stares at him, wide-eyed. "I... no," he says.

"I'm so sorry," Josh tells him.

"I'm- I'm going to be here for six months," Tyler says slowly. "I- I _can't."_

"There are no ports between us and our destination," Josh says softly. "I'm sorry."

Tyler just stares at the wooden ceiling.

"Look, um," Josh runs his fingers through his hair, "do you like stories?"

"...yes?" Tyler says, confused.

"Do you want me to read to you?"

Tyler's about to tell Josh that he can read just fine himself, but he then realizes that most wenches aren't literate, and he doesn't want Josh to suspect that he's different.

"All right," Tyler says. Josh blinks, like he was expecting Tyler to decline.

"Um, I have Defoe," he says, looking around. "Alexander Pope too, if you'd like. An Essay on Man, The Rape of- oh, never mind."

"The Rape of Lock is fine," Tyler says, with a slight smile at Josh's flustered expression. "It's funny," he says. "From what I've heard," he tacks on quickly."

Josh smiles. "All right," he says, rummaging through the bookshelf. He pulls out a thin book and opens it.

He positions himself on the bed next to Tyler. "What dire offense from amorous causes springs," Josh begins, "What mighty contests rise from trivial things, I sing..."

 

 

Josh has taken to reading aloud to Tyler every night, and Tyler enjoys it so much that he doesn't bother telling Josh that he's perfectly literate.

They've gotten pretty far into Robinson Crusoe, which Tyler has read before, but he's also not telling Josh that.

"Thus we never see the true state of our condition, till it is illustrated to us by its contraries;" Josh reads, "nor know how to value what we enjoy, but by the want of it."

Tyler carefully rests his head on Josh's lap, trying to do it in a way that he could pass off as an accident. When Josh doesn't move away, Tyler relaxes.

"It is scarcely possible to imagine the consternation I was now in," Josh continues, voice smooth and relaxing, "being driven from my beloved island (for so it appeared to me now to be) into the wide ocean, almost two leagues, and in the utmost despair of ever recovering it again."

Tyler looks up and watches Josh's face as he concentrates on the words, watches his tongue dart out to lick his lips occasionally.

"However, I worked hard till, indeed, my strength was almost exhausted," Josh says, flipping the page. "and kept my boat as much to the northward, that is, towards the side of the current which the eddy lay on, as possibly I could..."

Tyler tunes out a little, just watching Josh's lips move and lashes flutter above him.

"...I had but once lost sight of it; but the weather continuing clear, I applied myself to get up my mast again," Josh says, "and spread my sail, standing away to the north as much as possible, to get out of the current."

 

 

"And I was so out of it," Josh continues, "that I walked straight off the ship!"

"Oh, gosh," Tyler says, wide-eyed. "How did you get out?"

"My first mate had to jump in after me," Josh says, snickering a little. "Sh- he was not pleased."

"I can imagine," Tyler says, shaking his head.

"That was the last time I drank," Josh says.

"What, really?" Tyler says incredulously.

Josh laughs at his disbelieving expression. "We're not _all_ drunks, Tyler."

"Just most of you."

"...yeah," Josh acknowledges.

Tyler laughs. "Your crew seems nice," he says. "Did I only meet the mean ones?"

Josh snorts. "Mean ones?" he says incredulously. "Nah, they weren't mean. Just loyal."

"Oh," Tyler says, for lack of anything better to say.

"Which reminds me," Josh says, reaching into his pocket, "drunken escapades aside, my first mate wanted me to give you this." He pulls out a... necklace?

"What's that?" Tyler asks.

"A pocket watch," Josh says. "Except for your neck."

"Why did he give this to me?" Tyler asks as Josh sets the gold chain on his palm.

"He felt bad about what happened, because he was the one who called for all hands," Josh says. "If he hadn't, you wouldn't have been locked in."

"Oh," Tyler says, looking at the gold watch. He had a better one back at home, but he's touched by the gesture. Especially considering it doesn't look like something a sailor would want to give away flippantly. "I... I can't accept this. It wasn't directly his fault."

Josh shrugs. "He told me to make you accept it," he says. "And that he would be mad if you didn't."

Tyler smiles a little as he flicks open the watch. 8:34, it reads.

"Tell him I say thank you," Tyler says as he chains it to his neck. "And that he's forgiven."

 

 

"Could I see Pete?" Tyler asks one day.

"Pete?" Josh echoes.

"You know, that man who tried to stop-" "

Yes, him," Josh says. "Yeah, he's been asking about you."

"He has?"

Josh nods. "I can call him down now, if you'd like."

"Uh," Tyler says, biting his lip and looking around the room. "Yes, please."

Josh nods before standing up and leaving.

A few moments later, Josh reemerges along with Pete.

"I assume you want some time alone?" Josh says, raising an eyebrow at Tyler. When he nods, Josh nods back and closes the door.

"Hey," Pete says.

"Hi," Tyler says. He pats the bed, and Pete sits down.

"You all right?" Pete asks.

Tyler nods. "You?"

Pete smiles. "Yeah. It's good here." He laughs a little. "Didn't think I'd ever say that about a pirate ship."

Tyler smiles slightly. "What were you doing in that cell?" he asks. "I mean, if it's all right for me to ask."

"It's fine," Pete says. "I was a stowaway."

"Oh," Tyler says. He pauses, internally debating. "...why did you stick up for me like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like, you know," Tyler says, biting his lip, "offering yourself. You know."

Pete's smile turns a little sad. "You kind of remind me of someone else," he says. "I mean, you look nothing alike, but something about you reminds me of him."

"Oh," Tyler says, for lack of anything else.

"I'll see him in six months," Pete says. "Even though I'm flat broke."

"Is that why you tried to stow away?"

"Tried?" Pete scoffs. "I think I very well succeeded."

Tyler raises an eyebrow.

"Just not in the traditional sense," Pete adds.

Tyler laughs for the first real time in a long while.

 

 

Tyler's ankle, finally, _finally_ heals, and Josh helps him walk out to meet the crew.

"Smitty was the bad apple," Josh tells him as they walk towards the ladder that leads up. "Everyone else is very accepting, I promise."

"What was Smitty doing on your crew, then?" Tyler asks as he watches Josh start to climb up.

Josh sighs. "I owed a favor to his brother. Smitty needed to get to a different country, and I told his brother I'd take him if he worked as a mate." He whistles. "Big mistake."

"I'd say," Tyler mutters.

"Come on," Josh says, gesturing up, and Tyler hesitantly climbs up after him.

"Hey, Josh!"

"Hiya, Josh!"

"Heyo, Joshie."

"Yooooo, Joshua!"

"I'm trying to convey professionalism," Josh says, sounding mock-exasperated.

"What's that?" one of the crew says, wrapping an arm around Josh's shoulder and smacking a kiss to his cheek before darting away.

Tyler watches with his jaw dropped.

"Get back to your boyfriend, Urie!" Josh calls after the crew member who just kissed him.

"Spence is all the way at the bow!" the member- Urie- shouts back.

Josh just sighs, shaking his head.

Tyler watches the deck, everything bustling with activity. People are climbing the wooden beams- masts?- and raising and lowering sails. It looks awfully precarious.

Josh points to each crew member and names them. Tyler doesn't remember all of them, but he remembers Brendon the boatswain, since he kissed Josh, Gerard the quartermaster, since he slapped the cook's behind, Frank the cook, since his behind was slapped by the quartermaster, and Hayden the first mate, since he looked a little... strange. In a way that Tyler can't quite place.

"Thank you for the watch," Tyler tells Hayden.

"No problem," he replies, and Tyler blinks in surprise at his voice. It's also off in a way. "It was the least I could do."

Tyler shakes his head. "It wasn't your fault," he says.

Hayden shrugs. "Still feel guilty," he says.

"I'm all right."

Hayden raises an eyebrow. "Are you?"

Tyler can feel himself flush a little under Hayden's scrutinizing expression.

"I'm almost all right," he amends.

Hayden smiles sadly at him and rests a warm, delicate hand on Tyler's shoulder.

 

 

"And port is left, right?" Tyler asks.

"It depends."

"What does it depend on?" Tyler asks, feeling frustrated.

"On which way you're facing." At Tyler's blank stare, Josh elaborates, "If you're facing the bow, yes, it's the left. But if you're facing the stern, then no, it's your right."

"...and what's the bow and stern again?"

Josh sighs, scrubbing his hands over his face.

"I'm sorry," Tyler apologizes. "I just don't think my brain is built for-" he gestures aimlessly, "sailing jargon."

Josh chuckles shortly. "It's a process, I'll say that," he says a little dryly. "Bow is front. Stern is back."

"And does that depend on where you're facing too?"

"Well, technically, yes."

Tyler's head thumps back against the wall.

"Look," Josh says, and Tyler looks up. "You know the bowsprit? With the carving of the girl below it?" At Tyler's nod, he says, _"Bow_ sprit. Think of the _bow_ sprit on the _bow."_

"Oh," Tyler says, nodding. "I see."

"Good," Josh says with a nod. "So where's port?" he asks, gesturing to the bird's eye view of map of a ship.

Tyler points.

"...that's starboard, Tyler."

Tyler hangs his head. "Dang. I'm an idiot."

Josh pats Tyler's leg. "It's all right," he says. "You're not an idiot."

"Yes I am," Tyler says with a sigh.

Josh shakes his head. "No," he says. "One time I told Frank to go and take down the sail at the stern, and he went to the bow, and that's the story of how my ship almost sank and Frank became the cook."

Tyler snorts in surprise.

"And he had been working on it for months," Josh says. "I've barely been with you for an hour and you're already better than him."

"You're joking," Tyler says.

Josh shakes his head. "No, sir." He pats Tyler's thigh.

Tyler frowns when his stomach flutters at Josh's touch. Indigestion?

"I don't know," Tyler says. "I wouldn't be entirely surprised if I sunk your ship myself."

Josh chuckles. "You're not going to sink my ship," he says.

"How do you know?"

"Because you're not going to be touching the sails."

"Hey," Tyler protests mildly because he feels like that's something he should be doing, but to be honest, he's rather relieved.

Josh laughs as he stands to get changed into his sleep clothes. "You sound so disappointed," he says as he unbuttons his shirt.

"Believe me, I want nothing more to than to help with the- the s-sails," Tyler says, stuttering slightly when he catches sight of Josh's bare chest.

Probably not indigestion.

Josh gives him an odd look at his stutter. "You all right?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Tyler assures him. _Stop looking at his chest!_ he mentally berates himself.

Josh gives him a dubious look, but goes back to undressing. Tyler makes himself look away when Josh begins to unbuckle his belt.

Definitely not indigestion.

 

 

Tyler wakes up one night when the ship jolts so hard that he bounces straight off the bed.

He sits up, thankful to see that the lamp has been lit and unturned. He rubs his eyes before slipping on a pair of shoes, grabbing the lantern, and walking out of the room.

Everything is eerily quiet, albeit the creaking and groaning of the ship. Usually, Tyler can hear muffled yells and laughter all night long.

The ship is tossing and turning beneath Tyler's feet, and he's thankful that he's been on the ship long enough that he's ceased to feel seasick. Otherwise he's fairly certain he'd be curled up in a ball of misery on the bed.

There's a particularly large jolt, and Tyler nearly drops the lantern. Thankfully, he doesn't, and decides to blow it out before it can set anything on fire.

He hangs the lantern near the ladder. Curiously, Tyler clambers up the ladder and peers out. It's storming, and his hair is almost instantly soaked by rain. It appears that every single member of the crew is dashing about, tying and untying sheets, clambering up and down masts, and being generally confusing to the untrained eye.

Tyler spots Josh, clad in only a pair of trousers, by the mizzenmast and shouting orders accompanied by wild gesticulations.

"Smith! Man the tiller! Keep it- yes, I know, I _know_ it's not steady, just try your damn best. Way! I need you to grab that sheet. No, the other Way! Dammit, why are there two of you? Okay, I need you to wrap it around that- Tyler!" Josh yells, spotting Tyler climbing onto the slippery deck. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"Do you need any help?" Tyler calls back.

"No! Just get back to-" Tyler watches, horrified, as the boom comes swinging around and knocks Josh straight off the boat.

He dashes towards the edge of the deck and peers out. He catches a glimpse of Josh floating in the water and cringes, turning around to see if anyone else saw. No one else seems to have noticed, so Tyler grabs a rope, secures one end to the mainmast and the other to his waist, takes a deep breath, and jumps in.

The water is freezing, and it takes him a moment to remember why he jumped in. He begins swimming in the direction of where he saw Josh floating. Tyler will readily admit that he's not all that great at a lot of things, but he's a _really_ good swimmer.

Tyler finally spots Josh, but is knocked back by a wave. He tumbles backwards and has to spit saltwater out of his mouth before looking around for Josh again. A wave catches him again, this time to the back of the head. He plunges forward into the water and gags on the water.

Tyler pushes himself up, squinting through the rain. He finally locates Josh floating not too far in front of him, and manages to grab him around the waist. Tyler can't tell if Josh is cold simply from the water, but even if he's not, Tyler's going to pretend he is.

Tyler, with Josh in his arms, begins following the line back to the ship. Thankfully, he notices Hayden peering over the edge.

"Over here!" he calls. "Over h-" He's cut off when a wave slaps against him. Thankfully, he starts to feel someone tugging on the rope.

It takes a couple men to haul both Tyler and Josh up onto the deck, and Tyler has never felt more relieved to be aboard this ship.

He sprawls back onto the soaked wood, ready to pass out, when he remembers-

"Josh!" he yelps, springing up to where Hayden in kneeling over Josh's.

"Is he all right?" Tyler asks Hayden worriedly.

"He's not breathing," Hayden mutters. Tyler feels the last warm bit of him go cold.

"What can I do?" Tyler asks anxiously.

Hayden bites his lip. "Punch him."

"Pardon?"

"Punch him," Hayden repeats, looking up at Tyler.

"...you're a girl!" Tyler splutters.

"Not the time," Hayden snaps.

"Right, sorry," Tyler says. "Punch him?"

"In the stomach," Hayden says. "I'm going to hold him down."

"Are you mad?" Tyler demands.

"It works!" Hayden cries as he- she? grabs Josh's shoulders. "Do it! We don't have much time!"

"I- I- no," Tyler says. "I can't hurt him."

"YOU FUCKING IDIOT!" Hayden screeches. "HE'S GOING TO DIE!"

Tyler flinches, but concedes. He balls his right fist, takes a deep breath, and punches Captain Joshua Dun in the stomach.

Josh's entire body jolts, but he doesn't wake up.

"Oh, God," Tyler says weakly.

"Again," Hayden commands.

Tyler really, really doesn't want to do that again, ever, but he sighs and punches Josh once more.

"Again."

"Again."

"Again."

"Again."

"Aga-"

"No!" Tyler shouts. "It's not working!"

"Keep going!" Hayden insists.

"I can't!" Tyler yells back. "He's gone, all right? This isn't working!"

"Do it anyways!"

"No!" Tyler screams. "I'm just hurting him, all right? I'm not doing it again!"

"AGAIN!" Hayden commands.

"FINE!" Tyler shrieks, and gives Josh one more blow to the stomach. "See?! Nothing hap-"

Josh coughs.

Tyler and Hayden both stare for a moment.

Suddenly, Hayden's rolling Josh onto his side and patting his back while Tyler grabs his hand and feels for his pulse.

It's there.

Tyler slumps back, adrenaline leaving his body, and passes out.

 

 

Tyler wakes up feeling warm. Hot. Very hot.

Tyler wakes up feeling like he's on fire.

"Gah," he says descriptively, trying disentangle himself from whatever it is that's radiating heat next to him.

He freezes when it moves.

"Uh," he says, looking over to see Josh pressed up against him. "Well."

The door opens, and Hayden walks in. He- she?- doesn't look surprised at all by the way Tyler and Josh are tangled together.

"Good morning," he- she?- says.

"...hi," Tyler says belatedly. "Uh. What am I- why am I- um."

Hayden giggles a little, but doesn’t explain.

“Why am I, uh.” Tyler scratches his head, trying to think of the best way to put it. “Why am I lying next to Josh?”

“Like you don’t every night?” Hayden says, raising an eyebrow.

Tyler blushes. “Really.”

“We put you there,” Hayden says, and before Tyler can begin to worry about Hayden’s possible collective personalities, he or she clarifies, “Myself, Spencer, and Brendon.”

“Okay, but _why?”_

“So you both wouldn’t freeze to death,” Hayden tells him.

“Ah,” Tyler says. A moment. “Is your name really Hayden?”

“Oh, right,” Hayden says, holding out his or her hand. “Hello. I’m Hayley. And yes, I am a girl.”

“Hi, Hayley,” Tyler says, leaning over to shake her hand. He then looks around. “I think I should get out of bed before I catch fire.”

“No, I wouldn’t do that-“ Hayley begins, but falls silent when Tyler steps out.

“...Hayley,” Tyler says slowly, “why am I naked?”

“You, ah,” Hayley says, careful to keep her gaze at Tyler’s face, “your clothes were too wet. We were, um, worried about hypothermia. So we got you out of them.”

“And is Josh, um, naked too?”

Hayley nods.

“So we were lying there wrapped around each other while naked?” Tyler says weakly.

Hayley nods again.

“...oh,” Tyler says. He scratches his head. “Um. What now?”

Hayley shrugs. “I don’t know.”

“All right,” Tyler says, nodding. He looks back down at the bed where Josh is sleeping, shrugs, and crawls back into the bed.

Hayley stares at him. “Uh.”

“This-” Tyler says, gesturing between them, “never happened, okay?”

Hayley nods, and Tyler goes back to sleep.

 

 

As much as everyone insisted that Josh take some time off, he’s up and working from the moment he wakes up.

“My stomach does hurt, though,” Josh later told Tyler.

“...odd,” Tyler had said, smiling weakly.

It’s the middle of the day, and Tyler’s reading through A Tale of a Tub and feeling mildly appalled by it when Josh walks in.

“Brendon accidentally spilled soup all over me,” he says as he pulls his soiled shirt off.

Unfortunately for Tyler, he’s frozen there with the book in his hands.

“Did you have lunch yet?” Josh asks, turning to Tyler. “It looks pretty- are you reading?”

“Um,” Tyler says.

“You can read?” Josh says, looking shocked. “Where... How... Why- why didn’t you tell me?”

“W-was it important?” Tyler questions.

Josh stares at him. “What else don’t I know about you, Tyler?”

Tyler’s mouth opens and closes. "What?"

“What else don’t I know about you?!” Josh demands.

“I- I- this is just me _reading,_ Josh, it’s not a big deal-”

“Well, today it's just me not knowing you can read," Josh snaps. "And who knows? Maybe it'll turn out that you're the fucking king!"

Tyler stares. "Josh..."

"Tell me the truth, Tyler," Josh says, still shirtless. "Are you a spy?"

"A... A spy?" Tyler repeats, sort of distracted by Josh's muscles.

"Yes, a spy," Josh growls.

Tyler just looks at him with wide eyes. "No."

Josh just glares at him, and Tyler suddenly realizes that his hand is over his gun.

Tyler hadn't even noticed that Josh carries a gun.

"I've let you sleep on my bed," Josh hisses. "I made you nothing but welcome on this ship. Look me in the eye and _swear_ that you are not a spy."

Tyler looks Josh in the eyes. "Josh, I swear on... I swear on my inheritance that I am not a spy."

Josh stares at him for a moment before leaning back and taking his hand off his gun.

Tyler lets out a breath he didn't even know he was holding.

"Explain, then," Josh says, pointing to the book.

"Um, well, you see..." Tyler bites his lip and looks down at the book. "I... I grew up... wealthy. Very wealthy. And privileged."

"But why didn't you say anything?"

"I would've if you asked!"

"Oh, so this is _my_ fault now?"

"No! No, just... I've never lied to you, Josh. Never."

Josh just stares at him for a few minutes before sighing and sitting down next to Tyler on the bed. "I'm sorry, Tyler."

Tyler sighs. "I'm sorry I never told you," he whispers.

"Before, I- I was worried that you try to, um, hold me ransom."

Josh looks at him for a moment before wrapping him into a tight hug. "I'm so sorry," he whispers. "About everything."

 

 

"How did you do that?" Tyler asks when he walks into the mess to find Hayley sitting there with her hair a dull red instead of her original brown-blonde.

"Henna," she says, running her fingers through her hair. "Pretty cool, huh?"

"Yeah," Tyler says, looking at it admiringly. It fits her well.

"Hey, Tyler. Hi, Hay- oh man, you've _got_ to tell me how you did your hair," Gerard says, rushing to sit next to Hayley.

Tyler laughs at Gerard's enthusiasm as he takes a few slices of bread from the counter and leaves.

He bumps into Pete in the hallway. "Hey, have you seen Brendon?" Pete asks.

Tyler shakes his head. "No, sorry," he says.

"Damn," Pete says. "I need to talk to him, but I don't want to go looking myself."

"Why?" Tyler asks.

Pete makes a face. "The last time I went looking for him, I walked in on him and Spencer."

"Walked in on them?" Tyler asks, furrowing his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

Pete stares at him for a second, looking confused, before his expression clears. "Ah, right. I walked in on them, uh, having relations. Sexual relations."

"Oh," Tyler says, nodding. He pauses. _"Oh,"_ he says, making a face.

"Yeah," Pete says with a nod.

"Well, uh. Best of luck," Tyler says, giving Pete's shoulder a pat before walking back to his and Josh's room.

Josh is sitting there, scribbling something angrily into his journal.

"Hey," Tyler says, handing Josh one of the slices of bread.

"Thanks," Josh says absentmindedly when someone knocks on the door. "Come in!"

"Captain, a cargo ship's been spotted," someone on the crew who's name escapes Tyler says.

"Cargo?" Josh says, looking up. "Who's cargo?"

"Looks to be Foster's, sir." Josh nods. "I'll be up in a moment. Tell the gunners to ready the cannons, and tell the rest of the crew to arm themselves. Same instructions: do not fire before they do, try to wound, not kill, and do _not_ raise the flag unless I give the okay."

The mate nods. "Aye, sir," he says before leaving, closing the door behind him.

"What's going on?" Tyler asks as he watches Josh strap a sword to his belt and fit his gun in his holster.

"Do not leave this room, Tyler," Josh tells him as he laces up his boots.

"Josh, wait-"

"There's going to be a lot of noise," Josh warns him. "But you cannot leave this room. Do you understand?"

"Josh, I-"

"Do you understand?" Josh repeats.

Swallowing hard, Tyler nods.

"Good," Josh says. He turns to the door, but pauses. "Tyler, just in case," he says, reaching for something in his pocket, "take this." He sets a small, sheathed knife in Tyler's palm.

"Do you think I'll need it?" Tyler asks warily, staring at the knife.

Josh shakes his head. "No, no," he says. "But just in case."

"Okay," Tyler says softly, closing his fingers around the knife.

"Okay," Josh echoes, and turns to leave once again.

"Wait," Tyler says, stopping him. "I have something for you just in case, too."

Josh turns around. "Yeah?" he says.

"Yeah," Tyler says, takes a step forward, and kisses Josh.

Josh stills against Tyler before hesitantly resting his palms on Tyler's waist.

"Okay?" Tyler says, finally pulling back. Josh's eyes are closed, and he slowly opens them.

"Okay," he whispers back before leaving.

 

 

Although Josh was correct in that it was very loud, Tyler manages to drift off to sleep on the chair by the desk.

He wakes up when he feels someone carrying him and setting him down on the bed before pulling the covers over him.

"Josh?" Tyler mumbles, sitting up.

"Go back to sleep," Josh whispers.

"Did you win?" Tyler can't help but ask.

Josh chuckles. "Yeah, we won."

Tyler hears one of the drawers open and shut, and watches as unclear shapes in the darkness move about, presumably Josh pulling off his shirt and trousers before slipping on the pants he sleeps in on.

Tyler moves over, letting Josh beneath the blankets. He does his best to ignore the fact that Josh is nearly naked and lying right next to him.

"Hey," Tyler says quietly, and when Josh turns to him, Tyler kisses him.

Josh makes a muffled noise of surprise in return, but to Tyler's delight, begins to kiss back.

They kiss leisurely for a while, hands only touching each other's hair, cheeks, and shoulders. Tyler thinks things are going pretty well, right until the moment Josh stops them.

"I'm sorry," Josh says, pulling back. "I'm sorry Tyler, but we can't do this."

"Why?" Tyler says as he watches Josh sit up and pull at his hair.

"You-" Josh says, gesturing. "You were... you know..."

"I was what?" Tyler asks.

"You were... _attacked,_ Tyler," Josh whispers. "I don't- I can't."

Tyler blinks. "You can't kiss me because someone attacked me?"

"I- I can't rest easy, knowing that it might just be..."

"It might just be what?"

Josh sighs. "This might just be, um." He scratches the back of his neck. "You might just be confused."

"Confused about what?" Tyler asks, starting to feel like a parrot.

"About what you want," Josh says quietly.

Tyler stares at him, and something inside him snaps.

"What, just because I was forced into _prostitution_ and nearly _raped_ means I can't be attracted to someone?" Tyler demands, sitting up to face him.

Josh backpedals. "No, no, I mean-"

"No, that's exactly what you meant," Tyler snaps, crossing his arms over his chest. "You think that there's no way I could possibly love someone after what happened to me. Well, I have news for you, you narrow-minded, self-sacrificing, stupidly _beautiful_ son of a bitch with a hero complex, I am _perfectly_ able to feel! I am not _dead_ inside!"

"Tyler, please, calm d-"

"Calm down?! I'm not gonna calm down! You think I don't know how I feel!" Tyler yells, not caring the slightest who he wakes up. "You think I don't know _my own_ emotions! Well, I have _news_ for you, I know _exactly_ how I feel!"

"Please, Tyler, listen to me-"

"No! I _know_ what I want! I want you, you idiotic, gorgeous man with your stupidly cute hair and your muscular body and your soft hands and your dumb, dumb, _adorable_ laugh and that's what I want, all right? And you are so, so different from that Smitty character, the man who bought me, the auctioneer who called the numbers, the men at the auction who taunted and tried to touch, the slavers who grabbed and inspected and scrubbed, the kidnappers who beat me until I wouldn't scream-"

"Shh, shh, don't cry," Josh says, wrapping Tyler into a hug.

Tyler's about to say that he's not crying when a loud sob replaces his words.

Tyler hugs Josh back as tightly as he can, sobbing into his shoulder.

"I love you," Josh whispers. "Really. I do."

 

 

Tyler barely even realizes it, but it somehow comes to be that it's time for them to dock. And he realizes he doesn't want to leave. 

"Are you sure?" Josh asks. 

Tyler nods. "I'll, uh. Wait."

Josh nods. 

"I won't be gone long," Josh says. "I just need to explain what happened to his brother, and that's it."

"Wait, you're going alone?" Tyler asks.

Josh nods as he buttons his shirt up.

"You're going to get hurt," Tyler says.

"Don't jinx it."

Tyler huffs. "Why don't you take someone with you? Take Hayley."

"No. She doesn't like it here," Josh says as he slips on his boots. "And I still don't know how you found out she's a girl."

Tyler shrugs vaguely. "Take someone else, then."

"No one likes it here."

"Josh, you're acting kind of... oddly. What's going on?"

Josh sighs, turning to Tyler. "The place is crawling with government officials," he tells Tyler. "Just me? They might dismiss me as a lookalike. But two members of that crew? There can't possibly be two lookalikes. Besides," he says, slipping his jumper on, "It's better that I do this alone."

Tyler sighs. "Be careful, all right?"

Josh kisses his cheek. "Always am."

"Here, wait," Tyler says, and Josh pauses. "Take this," he says, pulling the watch off his neck. "For luck."

"Tyler, you love that thing," Josh says in protest.

"I know," Tyler says, placing the chain around Josh's neck. "So you have to come back, or else I'll be really mad."

Josh chuckles, giving Tyler a quick kiss. "I'll see you tonight, okay?"

"All right," Tyler agrees.

 

 

Tonight comes and goes.

At first, Tyler thinks that he just spent a little more time there than expected and allows himself to fall asleep, but when he wakes up, Josh still isn't there.

Tyler quickly throws on some proper clothes before dashing out, nearly knocking Pete and his friend Patrick over.

"Hi, Tyler! Remember-"

"Hi, Patrick. Great to have you," Tyler says as he dashes past them. He'll feel bad about it later.

Tyler clambers up the ladder and runs towards Hayley, who's standing by the tiller.

"I don't know where he is," she says when Tyler runs up to her.

Tyler stares at her for a moment. "Not a clue?"

"We have a runner out," she says, "but he shouldn't be back until- speak of the devil."

The runner dashes and leaps onto the ship, completely out of breath. "He's going to hang," the runner gasps out. "For piracy."

Tyler sits down.

"When?" he hears Hayley asks.

"Noon," the runner replies.

"Okay," Hayley says, taking a deep breath. "Okay. We need a diversion, we need muscle, we need-"

"I'll do it."

Hayley pauses, looking at Tyler. "What?"

"I can get him out," Tyler says.

"How?" she demands.

"I have a way," he says numbly, standing up. "Trust me."

"Why should I?" Hayley asks.

"I love him," Tyler tells her.

"The last time someone told him they loved him, they kidnapped his sister the day after."

"What?"

Hayley stares at him. "For slavery. They used him to get to his sister."

Tyler blinks. "...oh."

"And he became a pirate to find her," Hayley continues. "I was at his side the whole time. And he didn't care who stood in his way. He injured, he killed. And you know what? He knew she was dead."

Tyler stares at her with wide eyes.

"My point is, Tyler," Hayley continues, "that if you get him killed, I will injure. I will kill. I will track you down and I will tear you to bits."

"...is this some much more intense version of the talk people give the people who try to court their siblings?"

Hayley snorts. "That's a way of putting it. Catch."

Tyler nearly drops the pistol she tosses to him.

"Now go save him," she says.

"...just like that?" he asks.

Hayley almost smiles. "You're a good kid. I can tell."

 

 

Tyler almost throws up when he reaches the town square.

Josh is standing on a platform with his hands bound and a black hood on his head. Tyler can see the chain of the watch glinting in the sun. He watches as he runs as the executioner sets the noose around Josh's neck.

"Stop!"

Heads turn as Tyler rushes onto the platform and steps in front of Josh. "Do _not_ hang this man," he commands the executioner.

"And who might you be?" the judge challenges.

"Who might I be?" Tyler says, turning to face the judge. "I am Tyler Robert Joseph, crown prince to the throne," he says in the most regal tone he can muster. "Kidnapped and thought dead. That is who I am."

The crowd stares at him.

"...And is there anyone who can testify this man's claim to be true?" the judge says.

Tyler scans the crowd, hoping, _praying..._

"I can!"

Tyler's head jerks up when he sees Jenna Black rushing towards the platform. His childhood best friend, Jenna Black.

"I can," she repeats breathlessly.

"Lady Jenna Black," the judge says. "You swear on the bible, to The Lord that this man is in fact the heir of the throne?"

Jenna places her hand on the bible presented to her and swears.

"That's Prince Tyler Joseph," Jenna says, and Tyler can see that she's on the verge of both laughing and crying. "That's him."

Relief rushes through Tyler in waves.

"Thank you, Jenna," he says weakly.

"You owe me," she says with a wink that's kind of ruined by the way she bursts into joyful tears.

Tyler turns to the executioner, who bows, removes the noose from Josh's neck, and bows again.

Josh is standing disturbingly still as Tyler hesitantly pulls the black hood off his head.

"Josh?" Tyler says softly as he throws the hood to the ground.

Josh's eyes are shut tightly and his lower lip bitten. His face is pale.

"Hey," Tyler says gently, carefully resting his hand on Josh's cheek. "You're all right now."

Josh's eyes slowly blink open.

"Tyler?" he whispers.

"Yeah?" Tyler murmurs back.

Josh just blinks at him for a moment. "You're the prince?" he finally asks.

"Well, I have two brothers, so I'm _a_ prince, not _the_ pri-"

Tyler's cut off when Josh surges forward and presses his lips to Tyler's.

"Oh," Tyler says in mild surprise when Josh pulls back.

"Oh?" Josh repeats.

"Yeah," Tyler says, leaning in for another kiss. "Oh."

 

 

 

 

"So, how does it feel?" Tyler asks Josh as he helps him into his jumper.

"How does what feel?" Josh responds as he puts on his hat.

"To be a privateer," Tyler says. "To be _officially sanctioned_ to pillage and plunder."

Josh shrugs. "Kind of the same."

Tyler rolls his eyes.

"What?" Josh says.

"Nothing," Tyler replies, pulling Josh's hat off so he can ruffle his hair.

Josh yelps in protest. "Why'd you do that?" Josh demands, trying to snatch his hat back.

"Your hair is cute," Tyler says, stopping Josh's attempts for his hat by kissing his nose.

Josh stops and kisses Tyler's lips in return. Tyler smiles and moves in for another kiss.

They kiss gently, chastely, right until someone knocks on the door.

Tyler frowns when Josh pulls back and yells, "Come in!"

"Hey," Patrick says, looking a little guilty. "We're scheduled to depart in ten minutes."

Tyler huffs, and Patrick shoots him a sympathetic look as Josh puts on his serious face and reaches for his hat.

"Sorry," Patrick mouths to Tyler as Josh walks out of the room.

Tyler sighs, leaning against the wall. "Ah, what can you do when your man's the captain of the ship?" he says.

Patrick laughs, leaning back against the door. "Mine's the master gunner," he says. "So I don't quite know your pain, but I've an idea."

"Did he ever run off while you two were kissing?"

"Worse," Patrick says glumly. "We were both naked. And he ran off naked too, the idiot."

Tyler laughs, then tries to pass it off as a cough. "Was that the time we had that false alarm, but Josh still wouldn't let me on deck?" he asks.

"Probably," Patrick says. "He was probably trying to protect your innocence and all that."

"Hey, I'm a married man," Tyler says, showing off his left hand. "Josh took my innocence that night."

Patrick makes a face. "And I don't want to hear about it," he says.

Tyler smiles. Patrick's really the only one who can joke like this with him, because he wasn't here for anything that happened. "Hey, Pete tells me about yours all the time."

"He does?" Patrick gasps.

Tyler laughs at the way Patrick's face is growing dark red.

"I'm gonna kill him," Patrick says, shaking his head as he storms out of the room.

Tyler chuckles and follows him up.

Patrick's giving Pete a piece of his mind when Tyler finally makes his way on deck.

"...vacy, Peter, privacy!" Patrick is shouting.

"Hey, hey, I understand privacy," Pete says.

"Idiot," Spencer mumbles as he passes Tyler.

Tyler scans the deck for Josh, catching him standing near the tiller. He's not barking orders, so Tyler figures it's safe to go up and wrap his arms around his waist.

"Hey," Josh says when he feels Tyler's body against his.

"Hello, sailor," Tyler resting his head on Josh's shoulder.

Josh chuckles. "You need something?"

Tyler makes a mock-wounded noise. "Me? How could you say such a thing?"

Josh snorts. "All right, all right, I apologize," he says.

"I'll forgive you," Tyler says, "if I get a kiss."

"Oh, very nice," Josh says, but turns around and places a gentle kiss on Tyler's forehead.

"Not there," Tyler says in a pretend disappointed tone.

Josh kisses his cheek.

"Closer," Tyler tells him, "but not quite."

Josh kisses his jaw.

"No, not- oh, well sort of," Tyler gasps out when Josh moves down to his neck.

Josh laughs softly, breath brushing over the sensitive skin of Tyler's neck. He shivers.

"Come on, let's-" Tyler begins right as Hayley starts calling for Josh. "Shoot," he mutters as Josh dashes off.

"Sorry!" Josh calls over his shoulder.

Tyler just laughs after him.

His pirate- sorry, privateer husband has some flaws, (coughmarriedtohisworkcough,) but Tyler can think of so many worse things.

Besides, he can commiserate with Patrick, and later, he can guilt Josh into maybe putting his mouth in a few fun places.

Tyler smiles as he fiddles with his wedding ring on the chain right next to his watch. Really, he couldn't ask for better.

**Author's Note:**

> The title was taken from a quote by Daniel Defoe:
> 
> "Thus we never see the true state of our condition, till it is illustrated to us by its contraries; nor know how to value what we enjoy, but by the want of it."
> 
>  
> 
> Please keep in mind that the way Tyler resuscitated Josh is not realistic and most likely wouldn't work if you tried it on someone.  
>  
> 
> A good amount of this was half-assed and/or done while I was suffering from sleep deprivation but I hope you enjoyed anyways.


End file.
